Download neurotransmitters

Please pick up a chart from the AP Psych tray & get out your neuron
diagram from yesterday 
Neurotransmitters
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Chemical messengers that cross
the synaptic gaps between
neurons.
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When released, they travel across
synapse and bind to receptor
sites on the receiving neuron,
thereby influencing whether that
neuron will generate a neural
impulse
How do drugs and other chemicals alter
neurotransmission?
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Danger! Danger! We should not mess with our brain’s natural chemistry unless
necessary
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If you introduce your brain to artificial chemicals (like heroin) to achieve a “high”, then
after a while, your brain will stop producing those chemicals on its own
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Like ourselves, the brain can choose to be lazy if it wants---why make all these
neurotransmitters myself if I don’t have to?
Agonist vs Antagonist
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Agonist: molecule that can be similar enough to a neurotransmitter that it will
mimic its effects (binds to a receptor site to “release”)
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Antagonist: molecule that can be similar enough to a neurotransmitter that will
bind to a receptor site and block or inhibit a response
Acetycholine (Ach)
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Function: stimulates muscle contraction (skeletal
and smooth); attention, memory, learning, and
general intellectual functioning
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Deficit: Alzheimer’s Disease (lack of muscle
movement & control: paralysis)
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Surplus: severe muscle spasms
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Excitatory/Inhibitory: excitatory
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Extra: plastic surgery/botulin & currare
Dopamine
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Function: involved in voluntary
movement, pleasurable emotions,
attention, and learning
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Deficit: Parkinson’s Disease, anxiety
disorders, memory problems, ADHD
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Surplus: schizophrenia, drug addiction
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Excitatory/Inhibitory: excitatory &
inhibitory
Serotonin
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Function: moods and emotional states,
hunger regulation of sleep and
wakefulness
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Deficit: depression, mood disorders
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Surplus: aggression, mania (manic state
of bipolar disorder)
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Excitatory/Inhibitory: inhibitory
Norepineprhine (also released as a
hormone)
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Function: used for arousal in the fight/flight
response, modulation of mood, plays a role in
learning and memory retrieval (hormone in
blood- blood vessels contract/heart rate
increases)
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Deficit: mental disorders, especially
depression
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Surplus: anxiety
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Excitatory/Inhibitory: excitatory
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Extra (SSRI: selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors)
GABA
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Function: motor control, helps offset excitatory
messages/regulates anxiety and regulate daily
sleep-wake cycles
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Deficit: anxiety, seizures, tremors, and insomnia
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Surplus: sleep/eating disorders
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Excitatory/Inhibitory: inhibitory
Endorphins
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Function: involved in pain perception and
positive emotions. Similar to opiate
family of drugs
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Deficit: body experiences pain
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Surplus: body may not give adequate
warning about pain. Artificial highs
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Excitatory/Inhibitory: inhibitory
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Extra: exercise!
Glutamate
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Function: used in memory, learning, movement. Helps messages cross the
synapse more efficiently
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Deficit: Alzheimer’s memory malfunctions
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Surplus: too much glutamate (and too late GABA) associated with epileptic
seizures)
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Excitatory/Inhibitory: excitatory
Neuron Quiz 
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Clear off your desks of everything except a pencil
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Write your name on the paper and bubble in the GradeCam ID number
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When you are done, submit your quiz to the top tray and the quiz to the middle
tray